It was hurtful to read Brett Stephen’s op-ed piece today. The point of the essay was one sided. Stephens says Israel is too aggressive, combative, competitive and so self-centered that it deserves the denunciation it receives from others.  Critics include Jews in Israel, Jews in the US, students and people around the world that had/have a dislike for Jews since 1500BCE. At the UN it is commonplace for the US and Israel to vote against every other member of the organization.

I hasten to remind Stephens that Jews have been around for nearly 4,000 years. During that time, they have been murdered, raped and pillaged by virtually every group throughout the world. It is telling  19that there are only 17 million Jews throughout the world while Islam worshippers have a population of about 1.7 billion. The reason for the discrepancy is that Jews are frequently targeted by people who are under duress. In 1938 there were 16.6 million Jews and by 1945 the number decreased to about 11 million as Germans and others directed their venom against Jews for bad economic conditions. The population of Jews today would have been significantly higher if there was no Holocaust. The point is that Anti-Semitic groups have killed off millions of Jews in the course of history. This is the reason why Jews are taught to look over the shoulder.

Jews have joined forces with the US to deal with combative Arabs, specifically Iran. Iran has funded terrorist attacks on Jews ever since the founding of Israel. Israel has taken the brunt of anti-Semitic fervor. With the US at its side, it can now respond to radicals who have assaulted and killed Israelis as part of a murderous spree and be close to shutting down Iran’s nuclear project. Be sure, Israel would be the first country to experience a nuclear attack by Iran. 

I wrote an essay about the Rolling Stones on June 13, 2024. I thought my readers would like to read this blog after such an enthusiastic response to my blog about meeting Mick Jagger..

Some things never get old. For me, attending Rolling Stones’ concerts is an experience I have enjoyed over and over for 55 years. I attended my first concert in 1969 where I witnessed Mick Jagger for the first time. I was blown away as Jagger strutted across the stage in his Omega Man outfit. I’ve lost count, but I believe I’ve gone to about 14 more concerts since my first.

The Stones personify rock and roll around the world. They are the recognized royalty of rock. Their performances have been lauded by fans for over 60 years. That’s a long time for anyone to listen to Gimme Shelter and Satisfaction over and over again.

What makes The Rolling Stones so special? For one thing their longevity is remarkable. No singer or band has entertained the masses for the length of time that the Stones have. No musicians have dared to perform so many different music sub-genres as the Stones- hard rock, country, country rock, ballads, soul, dancing tunes, etc. The band has captured the interest of billions of people worldwide.

Keep in mind, the critical band members are now 80 years old, and Charlie Watts is now gone. Jagger still dances, teases and sexualizes Stones’ music. Richards is the person who provides the tempo and leads the band. He is a maestro rhythm guitar player.

The diversity of the Stones has enabled them to create a truly iconic portfolio of songs that concert attendees have enjoyed for so long. The old songs are so good that new tracks created by Jagger and Richards have no chance of replacing them.

The Stones play their new music, and the audience patiently waits for Jagger to sing the old favorites, Honky Tonk Woman, Gimme Shelter, Start Me Up, She’s a Rainbow and Satisfaction.

I attended two Stones’ concerts in the past month and will attend another one in July. I’m distraught that the band may be reaching a point where they cannot or will not play any longer be it because of death, old age or just being tired of playing the same songs over and over. It brings a tear to my eye that this miraculous career of the Stones must end.

As I watched Jagger perform with so much energy, I sometimes wish the Stones could play forever. Stones’ music reflects my younger days; I’m a child of the 60s. Protest, war, social injustice, contempt for authority and all the things that young people want to stress in this day and age are issues I experienced 50+ years ago. Unfortunately, there are two problems with this observation. The issues of 2024 are not as striking as those of 1965 to 1975 (Vietnam- 50,000 dead soldiers and serious civil rights abuses), and the music industry does not have any leaders of the same stature as Mick Jagger who can still evoke the strong feelings reminiscent of 1970.

Gimme Shelter is a plea for peace and tranquility. The feelings that it stirs are horrifying. The plethora of females who have sung the song with Jagger reflect the trouble of the 60s and 70s. When Jagger’s partners take the stage during Gimme Shelter it’s a sad and wondrous moment.

I would like to be asked to eulogize Jagger when his time passes. Corresponding, I would like him to sing at my funeral, when I’m gone. Not sure which song I would select, probably Gimme Shelter or Satisfaction.

Long live the Stones. Long live their music. Long live rock and roll.

My wife and I attended the New York City Ballet Spring Gala last night. Mick Jagger, the superstar lead singer of the Rolling Stones, made a cameo appearance to kick off the affair.

The guests were guided into the second-floor area where the tables were already set for dinner. My wife said Mick was only a few tables away from us, and that I should go meet him.

I made a bee line to Mick and introduced myself. I tried to tell him that I’m his greatest fan and grabbed his hand to shake it. I told him to keep singing and dancing.

What a moment! I finally got a chance to meet my rock and roll idol. It was the thrill of my life.

A few years ago, I met Ronnie Wood at a hotel in NY and chatted with him. I’ll be looking to meet Keith Richards next.

I’m the guy with the gray hair.

The leaders of Iran are not going to yield to the US so easily. They will stall, misdirect and lie to obtain favorable terms from US negotiators, especially pertaining to nuclear weapons. In fact, they said today that the US demands were “impossible.” Given the devastation of the Iran’s military including its Navy, Air Force and missile program, it does not seem logical for the powers that be to hold out much longer. The country is in dire financial condition. Yet it is incredible that Iran is so aggressive and negotiating as if they held cards in the game. For sure, after the dust settles, Iran will not be an ally of the US.

It’s not clear whether the US negotiators are focusing on the most critically important issue. If all the bombing and name calling enables the US to shut down Iran’s nuclear effort once and for all, the whole Iranian adventure would likely be deemed a success.

A nuclear bomb in the hands of the radical Iranian government is an existential risk for the whole world. If Iran somehow uses a nuclear device on its neighbors in the Middle East, Israel or America, the whole world will be in turmoil, and the resultant bloodshed will be devastating.

As far as Iran rebuilding itself is concerned, it has no hope of recovering militarily, socially or economically for 20 or 50 years. The big question is will the group that eventually leads Iran be peaceful or will Iran become a proxy for radical groups in the Middle East or elsewhere (such as China, Russia and theocratic governments in the in the region)?

Trump’s name calling is useless, unprofessional and is being overused by the US president. Iran has already been destroyed. The US is responsible for the destruction of Iran and the ultimate impact of oil on the world looking ahead. Surely oil nations in the region will try to take advantage of countries that need the fossil fuels.

The most likely outcome will be an Iran with scores of revolutionaries and a deep hatred of the US. That fact could very well inspire US efforts to decrease the usage of fossil fuels in the short term.

It is doubtful that Iran will be able to rebuild its infrastructure and become a self-sustaining country in the foreseeable future. With lower petroleum needs, the world will likely shy away from Iran for at least a generation. Another interesting question is what effect will Iran’s downfall have on the Shia sect of Islam. Will Sunni countries attempt to gain a foot hold as Iran begins to rebuild?